Carbon capture gets £18m cash

THE UK government has awarded more than £18m in grants to projects that want to cut the cost of carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The funding – which came from the government’s £125m CCS research and development fund – has been divided among 13 projects currently being developed by universities and energy and technology companies.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change said that once developed, the projects could allow the safe removal and storage of carbon emissions from coal and gas plants.
Among the organisations to get backing are Econic Technologies, an SME working with Imperial College to develop CO2-based plastics as an alternative to the oil-based model, and Costain, an engineering group working with Edinburgh University on a cheaper absorber design to help carbon capture.
Secretary of state for energy and climate change, Edward Davey, said the grants will “help maintain the UK’s place leading the world in CCS and delivering an affordable and secure low carbon energy mix”.
He added: “Carbon capture and storage is a huge opportunity for our world-class research industry.
“Through the projects we have selected, pioneering companies and universities will be able to create new jobs and expand their markets.
“The UK’s clear commitment to CCS is underlined by innovative companies like Carbon Clean Solutions choosing the UK as their global technology hub and NET Power and Toshiba choosing British manufacturer Goodwins for its world leading expertise.”